Does Yarrow Require a Lot of Watering?

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With ferny foliage and broad flower clusters suitable for cutting or drying, yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a low-maintenance perennial that grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. Yarrow is an aggressive perennial that spreads from rhizomes and grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Preferring full sun and well-drained soils, this wildflower also has improved cultivars with white, gold, yellow, red and salmon flower colors. Once established, yarrow is drought-tolerant and requires little water. Its main moisture needs are at planting time and after you divide it.

Seeding Moisture

Yarrow can be started from seed indoors eight weeks before the last spring frost or outdoors when the soil warms to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Yarrow seeds require direct light as well as ample moisture for germination. Indoors, seed can be started in 3- to 4-inch pots filled with a lightweight soilless planting media. Water the medium thoroughly and allow it to drain before scattering the seeds on top of the soil. Outdoors, prepare beds in full sun areas with good drainage and water the area thoroughly before lightly pressing the seeds into the top of the moist soil. If the soil dries out before germination takes place, which is usually within 10 days, mist the area to keep it moist.

Watering Transplants

Yarrow can be transplanted into the garden bed when the soil is still cool in early spring. After digging a hole twice as wide as the root ball, transplant yarrow with the crown 1/2 inch below the soil surface into a full sun area. Then, water the soil to a depth of 6 inches. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around the plant to slow moisture evaporation from the soil as the yarrow establishes its roots.

Watering Divisions

Because yarrow is an aggressive grower, it needs frequent dividing to keep the plant thriving. You can divide it either in early spring or in fall. Before dividing, water the soil around the yarrow to a depth of 6 inches, while avoiding wetting the foliage. After the root ball is dug and divisions made, space the divisions at least two feet apart, with the crown 1/2 inch below the soil surface. Water the soil to a depth of 6 inches around the transplants. The divisions will usually require no more watering until they begin to actively grow again, at which time you can water them again, but only if the soil has thoroughly dried out.

Watering Established Plants

Yarrow makes an excellent xeriscape plant because it has low water requirements, even when actively growing. Established plants seldom need supplemental watering. If the soil is kept too moist, yarrow will struggle and the plant will often fall over. Yarrow makes a good companion plant for other drought-tolerant perennials or annuals with low water needs.

About the Author

Burns McKay has worked as a journalist since the 1980s as a writer, reporter, editor and managing editor. The owner of a nursery and landscaping business for over two decades, McKay is also a long-time organic gardener whose articles have appeared in numerous print publications.